Sakaki's Pet
by JR Salazar
Summary: A vignette on Sakaki's pet cat, Maya! From Maya's POV.


Sakaki's Pet  
By Jo-Ryan Salazar  
  
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My name is Yamamaya, but you can call me Maya. I'm what Okinawans call a Yamapikarya, but I'm known in the Western world as an Iriomote cat, because I come from the island of Iriomote, near Okinawa. I have now had the privilege of being the official pet of my master, the one and only, Sakaki-san. I believe that's what they call her, but I call her Master.   
  
My story is rather, um, how can I say it? Adventurous at times, but also dangerous. With fun in between. Yeah, that's how I'll say it. This little yamapikarya fears no one that stands in the way of Master. So, here I go.  
  
It started when I saw this group of students. Now, there were three students in the group: my Master, and these two students named Ayumu Kasauga, also known as "Osaka" (I assume that's her origin; I know there's a city called that" and Chiyo Mihama, known in her school as a prodigy. They were on a vacation, with others, to the Ryukyu Islands, and they just happened to walk the sacred ground that is Iriomote.   
  
I saw them, and I had a rather interesting assumption about them, especially the tall girl with the long hair, Master. So, I come down, and I take a good look at her. I was rather mesmerized by her nice body. So tall, so voluptuous, so adorable. Master was rather attracted to me as well. As she pet me, and took me in her arms, I knew that this girl would be worth spending time with. She called me, "Yamamaya," which (I forgot to add) is another name for an Iriomote Cat.  
  
So, here I am, in Master's arms, seeing some familiar places, some unfamiliar places. The Iriomote Conservation Center, the Arauchi River, where some of my friends frolic near for a drink, Maryudo Falls…here, there, everywhere around Iriomote. She was so happy to be with me, and, as if fate came about, I was attracted to her as well. There was something about Master that said, "Take me." I am not kidding. I've seen many a visitor come and go, but this one ranked well above the others.  
  
And afterwards, when Master had to leave, she said that she can't allow any cats in her house. At least, that was what her mother said. I did not understand the logic behind that policy. As she and the other two left, Master's tears flowing into the sea, I asked my own mother, "I want to go where she goes." But mother says, "Honestly! You do not know where's she's going? How can you possible follow her?"  
  
Later that night, I heard from one of the staff members from the Conservation Center that they were from Tokyo. Now, I heard a lot of stories from them about life in Tokyo. They say it's a big city, and very exciting. I was tired of living on this island. I had been on Iriomote-jima for too long, and I wanted a change of scenery.   
So, I asked my mom, "Hey, can we ask the people to take us to Tokyo?" At first, she disagreed, but the people there talked about a cruise line docking at Iriomote, before heading off northward.  
  
Stowaways we were, heading onto the ship undetected. A few days later, we were off to this city called Tokyo.  
  
And at first glance, it was overwhelmingly spectacular. Big buildings, lots of people, bikes, cars, buses, some girls looking crazily dressed…it was so much eye candy for me. This little Iriomote kitten had to soak it all in slowly, lest he get a headache.  
  
So, me and my mom were walking the streets of this gigantic city called Tokyo, when a car spun like crazy, and hit my mom. She would not survive, as she said to me, "Go. Get away from here. I love you." A 31-year old witness, Tobu Yasuda, saw all this happen. As the tears started to fall down my face, tears of anguish and pain that threatened to strip me of my integrity, I wanted to get away from it.  
  
As I walked down the streets, I stumbled upon a congregation of cats that were cornering a little girl in pigtails (Chiyo), and-wait a minute! Could it be? Yes! It was Master! And she was being cornered by these cats. As they tried to attack Master, I was not gonna see her hurt like my mom. I jumped in front of Master, and said to the cats, "Hey, don't you mess with my Master here, you bastards. Or else I'll kill you all."   
Now, the leader of this group of cats was a gray tabby called Kamineko. It seemed that I now had a natural hatred for him, because he would be nipping Sakaki's hand every time he had the chance, and I was thinking, "Enough's enough." Also, you have to realize, that now with my mother's strength and blood inside me, I let out this attack of power. You know how kids watched this series called Dragon Ball Z? Let's just say one of those attack was similar to mines. Kamineko and his no-good bunch of ragtag tabbies fleed for the hills, and as I saw my master, I blacked out.  
  
The next thing I knew, I was in Chiyo's house, and when I woke up, this huge white dog was licking me like crazy. The dog's name was Mr. Tadakichi, and he was what they call a Great Pyrenees breed, from France. Apparently, they took me to the veterinarian, nursed me to health, and called me a cross-breed. Seems to me that they wanted to protect my name. Go figure.  
  
Anyway, I'm playing with Mr. Tadakichi, who's a fun-loving dog, and one of the funny things that happened was when Mr. Tadakichi went towards Chiyo, he upended her significantly. This, of course, was typical of his devoted nature. It's kinda like this: if we were guys, we'd fall in love with our masters. But this is not Fruits Basket, okay? I even know what Tohru-san is doing out there, so end it at that.  
  
So, I'm spending time with Master, Chiyo, Osaka, and three other students: Koyomi Mizuhari, or Yomi, a girl slightly smaller than Master, but with long brown hair and sunglasses (nice body too-almost got a nosebleed); Kagura, who is very athletic and good-natured, and Tomo Takino, who they call Tomo-chan. Now, that night, I had a little gripe to pick about Tomo. Obviously, she's not a good student like Master: Managed to sneak by on her exam, and is literally a borderline student.   
  
So Tomo is using me as a puppet. That is one of my pet peeves. I'm a pet, not a puppet. And you should realize what happens to people who treat me the wrong way: They pay big time for it. After she was done with me, I scratched her right hand. Yomi was witness to this. Sakaki told me not to scratch any more guests, but I said in catspeak, "Hey! Your friend was treating like a puppet and not as an animal. Serves her right." I really don't care if Tomo has a grudge on me, it's justified. And if she thinks that was painful, oh boy, that's nothing compared to what Master had to through against Kamineko. It's 50+ times worse. Welcome to the world of being catnipped.  
  
Next thing I know, Master is rolling me around. I got dizzy, but at the same time, I felt even more attracted to her. Everytime I look into my Master's face, I get excited. I just don't show it. And it's so easy for me not to show emotion.  
  
The next day, I'm eating breakfast. Now, unlike most house cats, I don't eat a specified food. I eat grass. So, I'm munching on this grass, as if I was a grazing cattle (that's how I eat, sorry), Mr. Tadakichi seeing Chiyo off.  
  
It's very wonderful, this city of Tokyo. And just think of it: it took me a few days to get oriented. Whoa-ho indeed. Especially when the New Year comes. People going to shrines, some clad in hot kimonos (nosebleed), people throwing money for good luck and ringing bells, traffic everywhere…okay. That is a minus. But, at the same time, it can be a curiosity. A curiosity of living in the city.  
  
Now here's something I learned secondhand. People are wishing in the shrines for entering college. It's not easy in Japan to succeed without cramming for tests, studying hard, and racking brain to mush. Luckily for me, I won't have to go through that. Point up. But it can be a problem for those who live and die by the exams. Some people commit suicide if they fail to succeed. And I, Maya, am like, "Where's the rationale behind all this? It's horrible! Wasting your life…for an exam? Low. REAL low."  
In January, they have those center test exams. Japanese-style SAT. I'm watching the students run the gauntlet in those tests, and Osaka is coming up with the theory that if you split your chopsticks correctly, you have a better test. The rationale behind that stuff is questionable, in the back of my Iriomotic mind. Tomo didn't adhere, and I could only snicker at her misfortune. What you do will come back to you. So the old adage goes.  
  
Anyway, the five of them are hyped up for it, as they give their thumbs up towards me, Chiyo beside. I nodded my head, and wished them well, a small, wry smile spreading on my face. I knew Master was going to do well. I just knew it.  
  
At the end of the day, when the blue gives in to black above, I heard from Master that Tomo was walking homeward, disgusted with the test itself. "Ah well," I said, as Sakaki studied incessantly. They say you can't get any satisfaction. No, Maya, an old, drugged, haremic Englishman once said that. Or rather, sung that. Masted had enough satisfaction to steer through.  
  
Later that week, another funny thing happened. As Master was eating cake, Mr. Tadakichi wanted some. It seems he has a human soul at times. It's like this: If you give a dog a piece of cake, he'll ask for a tub of milk. But this logic does not apply to every breed. Master probably knew that.  
  
Osaka seems to be a very interesting girl I saw. She may be flat-chested, but she makes up for her plain appearance with her innovative ways of thinking. I'm bouncing around this eraser, which makes do for a ball, and by fate, I whack the eraser into Osaka's head. She is sleeping on a pillow made in the image of Chiyo's apparent father. Or, so Master disputes. Didn't disturbed her one bit.  
So, instead, Sakaki entertains me by exercising my jumping skills. She takes this small ball, attaches it with string to a stick, and encourages me to hunt for it. Great exercise, I can tell you that much. A better alternative to the accident a few minutes ago.  
  
Don't get me wrong, I did see Chiyo's father, or Chiyo-chichi, in person. Big guy, deep-voiced, and very protective. He asked, "So, you are a real cat, huh?" I responded, "Yep. You're lookin' at him right here." He says, "Well, when the cat's away, the mice will play, and if you're here…" I responded, "The mice will go away." Osaka wanted to get involved, but to no avail. She's not exactly my type of person to be with, but she a few notches higher than Tomo.  
Exhausted from the exercise and the encounters, I fell asleep.  
  
I realized, later, that that was a practice exam Master and the others took at the center. Still, they were committed to it. All in the name of chopsticks. When Master and the others received their scores, all save one got accepted. And the irony of it is, it's the one who's usually well-rounded, Yomi. But don't get me wrong; I was sure she'd get that out of the way.  
  
Chiyo: Tokyo U  
Osaka: Tokyo U (Kansai Gakuin was fallback)  
Kagura: Nittaidai  
Tomo: Tokyo U (amazing!)  
Master: various schools, including all mentioned above, Waseda, and that veterinary school she mentioned  
Yomi: undetermined, but will later get into Waseda upon passing the exam the third time  
  
So, now, March comes like a shot out a cannon (or a slingshot, depending on your personal prognosis), and everyone is receiving their diploma, which is in a tube, rolled up. I was especially proud of Master's achievements, even though I was present for her last year of high school. Kamineko keeps his distance, as I bodyguard Master. He bites her anyway, but not as severely. I shake a blind eye, though, at the confrontation.  
  
And now I'm watching the ceremony, and watch Master receive her diploma, Chiyo receive a certificate for highest GPA (how do I know all this stuff?-4.0 from her), and the end of an era. Sakaki's mom eventually let me in, even having a curiosity for me. Chiyo even bowed to the school, on her way out for the last time. She would end up going to America after Toudai, even going to UCLA, Harvard, Oxford…Kagura, Tomo, Osaka, Kaorin (who I forgot to mention. She's a good friend of Master. Even idolizes her.), they'd all go their separate ways. Even Yomi, too, who managed to make it. They throw Chiyo in the air, and I let off a big meow as me, Kagura, Chiyo, Osaka, Yomi, Tomo, and the Master, depart together, forever.  
  
That's my story so far. I don't where everyone else will be from now on. All I know, is that my Master, Sakaki-san, will be there for me. If you look at me now, I'm like my mother. Big. Strong. Dependable. And still Sakaki's official pet.  
  
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Chanchan!  
  
Review! 


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